As everyone knows, center is a position that we need help at. Not that it's the only position. But our lack of a credible big man, is far too obvious game after game. So let's look at the available centers in the draft and talk about there strengths and weakness.

Maybe it's best to start with a statistical comparison, to have the numbers to refer to. Then we can expand on that. As I see it, the centers worth looking at are Hasheem Thabeet, Cole Aldrich, B J Mullens, Jerome Jordan and possibly A J Ogilvy. Here are some numbers.

Thabeet - 32 min; 14 ppg @ 65%; 63% ft; 11 boards; 4.4 blocks; .23 asst/to - Junior
Aldrich - 30 min; 15 pts @ 60%; 79% ft; 11 boards; 2.6 blocks; .62 asst/to - Sophmore
Mullens - 20 min; 9 ppg @ 64%; 56% ft; 5 boards; 1.1 blocks; .18 asst/to - Freshman
Jordan - 27 min; 14 ppg @ 59%; 74% ft; 9 boards; 2.5 blocks; .38 asst/to - Junior
Ogilvy - 28 min; 15 ppg @ 59%; 77@ ft; 7 boards; 1.7 blocks; .46 asst/to - Sophmore

There's obviously no Patrick Ewing out there. But Thabeet will be a top shot blocker, while Aldrich and Jordan will be respectable. Thabeet and Aldrich will be very good rebounders, and Jordan will be good. No one in this group is going to dazzle offensively, but I think they won't hurt much either.

Aside from Thabeet and I suspect Jordan, I'm not sure which of the others are coming out. I think Mullens will be well served to play another year.

Purdue's kid Johnson, and Miss St's Varnado are OK too. Sounds like Sanders is staying out of the draft.

If Thabeet is gone and the possibility of Sanders late isn't there, then I'd look at Mullens or wait until next year to get a center and go for guards.

Ultimately we need a player who can run pick and roll really well, block shots, rebound and run. If that player is not there we shouldn't pick someone who won't fit what we need.

Posted by TMS:

if we trade Lee for another pick & take both Hill & Aldrich to rebuild our frontcourt, i'll be satisfied.

How would that work with our system?

We can get Derozan at 9, where we'll likely end up. I would bet money that he'll end up still being available there. Holiday will be there too and he'd be a similar player.

I don't imagine that we'll get a lottery pick in return anymore for Lee or Nate since they are only RFA's.

Posted by TMS:

Posted by JohnWallace44:

Posted by TMS:

if we trade Lee for another pick & take both Hill & Aldrich to rebuild our frontcourt, i'll be satisfied.

How would that work with our system?

Jordan Hill would be awesome in this system... he's like a young Amare Stoudamire in my view... maybe not quite as explosive but he's got the same type of game... runs the floor, blocks shots, scores in the post, has a midrange game that's respectable but not great, freakish athleticism, finishes great at the rim & is always active on the floor, maybe even moreso than Amare since he tends to fade on the defensive end... those are all things we could really use on this team right now.

Aldrich is probably not such a perfect fit for this system, but still i'd be satisfied w/that tradeoff because he can also block shots & is a banger down low, so to have both Hill & Aldrich in the paint acting as intimidators u can get away w/having a weak perimeter defensive player like Nate on the team.

i think we're pretty much set at SF w/Chandler & Gallo for the next several years unless a stud like Lebron ends up here somehow, & Hughes & Duhon are serviceable at the G positions for another year while Walsh gears up for 2010, unless we somehow land Derozan in the draft lottery, in which case i trade Lee to get a pick & take Hill, which actually would be my ideal scenario... having those 2 kids running the wings w/Nate leading the break would be a site to see at the Garden, but then Nate would probably not even pass the ball to either of them anyways.

I'd be very happy to see a trade that cost us Lee and got us a pick that lands Aldrich. Aldrich would replace Lee's rebounding and learn to replace his offense, while improving our interior defense. As you pointed out, he's not the most athletic big around, but he scores, rebounds and plays defense.